I think our game being compared to other games is both a healthy exercise and something thats fun to do. Good thread!
To be honest I don't know of anyone on the team who has played Grow Up - though I keep meaning to. I heard the follow-up (or was it a re-release?) is also excellent!
My own take: I see massive differences in the approach to "low poly" that Ubisoft took with Grow Home and our own approach. GH fully embraces the low poly aesthetic while we take liberty in that space and make things look 'simple', but not as geometric as Grow Home or other low poly games might do it. An example of this is actually in the clouds itself, which I feel are vastly different from each other: Grow Home's are geometric and flat shaded, Astroneer's are soft and bulbous.
Regarding plants: I'd hedge a bet that we looked at the same types of references for designing some plant life but even the one pointed out has large differences from any plants in our game.
Regarding music: The only similarity I see is in tone, and that is of one that is pleasant to hear. Nothing too stressful, or overly happy. Just something 'pleasant' to listen to that comes from simplicity. I can totally see how it may be heard as similar, but I think overall our soundtrack is not at all like Grow Up..

Astroneer's Pre-Alpha Early Access version has just been updated to 0.3.10182.0 (Patch "182").
Steam 'Early Access' users will receive this update immediately. Xbox 'Play Anywhere' players can expect this patch to hit their consoles or Windows 10 machines in the next 48 hours.
This patch primarily focuses on a number of user-reported bugs and issues for Astroneer's pre-alpha. The team would like to thank everyone who is supporting Astroneer this early on and especially to those sharing bugs, crashes, ideas, and stories with us and the rest of the community.
Next week Veronica will share and discuss updates coming to the road map of Astroneer's development. Our team has nearly doubled in size since we launched on early access back in December '16. Since our team has grown so much we wanted to ensure the Road Map best reflected our teams goals and we can't wait to share that with you.
UPDATES
You can find these updates in 182, the current build of the game.
[AS-1018] - Steam now automatically uploads crash logs.
[AS-1078] - Backpack visual design has been updated and new animations applied.
[AS-1080] - Item names have been updated to better reflect their size. (e.g. Medium Rover, Large Rover, etc.).
FIXES
The following bugs are now fixed. Thank you to everyone in the community who had reported and shared details with us on these issues.
[AS-864] - Fixed input inconsistencies in the Control Menu.
[AS-866] - When exiting a Shuttle docked at the Vehicle Bay, the Astroneer should no longer become stuck.
[AS-913] - Fixed an issue where certain objects were still appeared gray after a saved game was reloaded.
[AS-943] - Fixed an issue with solar panels failing to charge after loading a previously saved game.
[AS-978] - Fixed a minor art overlap with the Research module hologram and research chests.
[AS-979] - Even more rocks now despawn after being dug up.
[AS-998] - Decorators no longer spawn on deformed terrain.
[AS-999] - Vehicles no longer automatically eject Astroneers.
[AS-1003] - Decorators now clean up appropriately when a module is built on top of them.
[AS-1007] - Fixed an intermittent issue where space station launch buttons would stop working.
[AS-1008] - Fixed an issue where Dropships would remain on a planet if a player's game crashes mid-travel.
[AS-1013] - Fixed an issue where deform tools would be left behind in saved games that were generated in Multiplayer.
[AS-1022] - Smelters no longer generate partial resources.
[AS-1029] - Fixed an issue with objects floating as a player moves away from them.
[AS-1032] - Gas Bag explosions audio now plays correctly in Multiplayer.
[AS-1040] - Fixed issues with the Drill Head that prevented terrain deformation.
[AS-1075] - Fixed an issue where Seats printed by the Vehicle Bay could not be removed from Rovers.
[AS-1100] - Fixed minor audio issue with the Backpack printer.
[AS-1105] - Items ejected from Backpacks can once again be picked up by players in Multiplayer.
[AS-1116] - Fixed Winch cable issues in Multiplayer.
Fixed crashing issues caused by broken landing zones in Multiplayer.
Fixed several issues where item input indicators were missing in Multiplayer.
Fix an issue where player color differentiation did not persist after loading a saved game.
Gas bags in caves now despawn after being destroyed.

@rileya_cThats good feedback. Farming hydrazine may not make its way back in the game in a way you are used to, but we did learn from that the value of 'farming' type mechanics. Mechanics like that are things we wanted to explore during the development of this game that we may now do so with the knowledge of feedback we've received when we tweaked hydrazine and trade modules.

Pretty much this. Typically the stuff that is new (To us) bubbles to the top some how and lands in front of us. Personally, I browse our Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Steam community, and forum every day but not for very long on any of those.

Astroneer's Pre-Alpha Early Access version has just been updated to 0.3.10158.0 (Patch "158"). Steam 'Early Access' users will receive this update immediately. Xbox 'Play Anywhere' players please allow up to 48 hours for the patch to hit your console or Windows 10 machine.
This patch introduces a number of fixes for existing bugs in the game, including some priority fixes for the games recently updated Research Curve. Additionally, Astroneer now supports Turkish language, Hydrazine canisters are now explosive, and a few other minor updates.
UPDATES
The follow updates have been applied to the game.
[AS-939] - Hydrazine can explode!
[AS-1011] - Gas hazards now despawn after being uncovered from terrain.
[AS-1041] - Improved research curve. Chests of the same type can now be re-researched. (This resolves an issue where some players might never see certain unlocks)
[AS-1042] - Add Turkish language to the build.
[AS-1063] - Add Early Accesss/Pre-alpha + Build # to on-screen overlay.
FIXES
The following bugs are now fixed.
[AS-450] - Fixed an issue causing the occurrence of visible seams in terrain in MP or after save load.
[AS-935] - Improve rover stability in MP so they no longer unrecoverably fly apart.
[AS-979] - Most rocks now despawn after being dug up.
[AS-990] - Fix gamepad camera behavior while in planet navigation.
[AS-996] - Fix incorrect research unlock text.
[AS-1025] - Fix ejected resource nuggets being ungrabbable for non-host players.
[AS-1026] - Fix various audio cues playing incorrectly in MP.
[AS-1036] - Fix power cells not unlocking despite the player receiving an unlock message.

@snowburn I wrote a reply to some similar feedback as yours about the Reward curve that I hope you don't mind me quoting as a reply to the feedback you've shared with us. (If I forget to write it later in this post - thank you for taking the time to write us the feedback on the forums. It's means a lot!)
From my reply to this thread here:
I wanted to just express that we can completely understand your frustrations with it. We'll continue to develop it and expand upon it so Research isn't just the simplified version (or "random") of its self that you're playing in 155. Like everything in the game, we'll be improving upon it and expanding the ideas through pre-alpha and out of early access.

You made me choke on my water. The team is anxious to get to the vehicle controls, its just a matter of where that falls in priority with our upcoming dev goals (more on that later).
@spinlock_1977 Your post actually made me go back and (re)confirm that Generators are available for unlocking in the game. (I'm assuming you meant a Small Generator, the 1-slot version that consumes Organic.) They are. What I am thinking is, with the game you are playing in right now, you've unlocked a lot of other items which is causing more and more Resource-type of objects to be spawned in lieu of a new blueprint (the more blue prints you unlock, the less and less of them you'll be rewarded in the current version).
The team understands the frustration, for sure. We'll slowly be updating the Research paradigm of the game so its away from an RNG/"random" type of model of unlocks. We think there's a place for that in our game, but not across the board like it is now. We'd also like to allow for players to make more concentrated efforts in the things they are rewarded for Researching so they can better plan their base, goals, adventures, and so on. That'll also not happen in one single update, but in multiple updates spread across the game while its in Early Access.
When I read your frustrations with the game in 155, I can understand your desire to want to wait for future updates. Just know that we appreciate your early support and you taking the time to offer your feedback.

Patch "155 - Hotfix" is now live on Steam.
Xbox 'Play Anywhere' players should expect this patch late this week.
This update addresses a priority bug that caused previously unlocked item blueprints to be unavailable for Printing. Users playing from Save Games should now expect to see all previously unlocked item blueprints available for Printing where applicable (Backpack Printer, Medium Printer, Vehicle Bay).
FIXES
Bug: Fix previously unlocked item blueprints not being Printable.
Bug: Power Cells not appearing in the Backpack Printer after being unlocked from Researching an item.

The Seat is the only thing available because nothing else has been Researched (on a new game).
If you're not on a New Game, we introduced a bug that we'll be hot fixing today/tomorrow so that all your previously unlocked items will be available for printing again.
Adam

Hey! We'd never roll back an update as any feedback - like telling us you're frustrated - is very useful to us and the games development. Though telling us why you're frustrated would be super useful, if you're interested.
Additionally, you may like what I wrote here:

For what it's worth I (and I am sure everyone on the team) don't view negative opinions as "negative" opinions. It's all constructive to us, even if they're communicated int aggressive ways. All feedback is important to us, "negative", constructive, passionate, we need and want it all.